The most amazing thing about fitness guru Paige Hathaway’s astonishingly large social media presence isn’t so much the actual number of fans, but the fact she never thought she’d get any followers at all.

“I have over 10 million followers now,” she says.

“It’s so crazy to even think about. I created my social media account thinking I’d never get any followers. It has just been amazing.”

Amazing is right. Over the past few years, Paige’s professional life has undergone the kind of transformation her followers hope to see in their waistlines.

A San Antonio fitness studio hosted a “Puppies and Pilates” class on February 24 in order to raise awareness about pet adoption in the city. Teaming up with Animal Care Services, Inbalance San Antonio invited Pilates enthusiasts to come and work out with the help of a canine companion. The pups not only warmed their clients’ hearts, but also helped them burn calories as they were used in lieu of weights in some of the exercises. Credit: Inbalance San Antonio via Storyful

March 9th 2018

9 months ago

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The 30-year-old only turned her attention to the fitness ­industry six years ago, and she is ­already an Instagram star, a global ­ambassador for the F45 fitness network and a hugely successful businesswoman in her own right.

And the secret to all this success? It’s no different to the secret to her ­incredible fitness regimen.

“Accountability is key,” she says. “People ask me how I stay motivated in life, and my answer is to find yourself a motivation partner.

“It’s super important. It’s why ­people go to the gym maybe once a week or once a month, because they don’t have accountability.”

The 30-year-old only turned her attention to the fitness ­industry six years ago, and she is ­already an Instagram star, a global ­ambassador for the F45 fitness network and a hugely successful businesswoman in her own right.

And the secret to all this success? It’s no different to the secret to her ­incredible fitness regimen.

“Accountability is key,” she says. “People ask me how I stay motivated in life, and my answer is to find yourself a motivation partner.

“It’s super important. It’s why ­people go to the gym maybe once a week or once a month, because they don’t have accountability.”

“That’s one thing I always say — living a healthy lifestyle with a healthy diet, it shouldn’t be something you dread every day, it should be something that works for you and fits into your lifestyle.

“That’s what gives you longevity and the ability to stick to it.”

Functional fitness

Paige is no stranger to the inside of a gym (and a global ambassador for the F45 fitness group), so it’s surprising to hear her say the very best way to train is to ditch the weight stacks and the endless kilometres on the treadmill.

Instead, she says, the key is to make fitness functional. That way, you can use it for more than just posing for gym selfies.

“I was brought into F45 about seven months ago, and I love it,” she says. “It’s just for everyone.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been working out for a really long time, or if it’s day one.

“It’s all functional movements. So it’s like when you’re picking up your kids, or you’re putting your suitcase in an aeroplane locker — it’s the functional movements you use every single day.

“I call it life fitness.”

A day on Paige’s plate

With a business that keeps her phenomenally busy, and with an Instagram feed filled with a photos of her incredibly sculpted abs or toned biceps, you might think that food plays only a minor role in Paige’s life.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“I’m all about filling your body with good nutrients,” she says. “And I’m talking a lot of food.

“I’ll eat three or four meals a day. Lots of fish, lots of carbs; potatoes, rice, quinoa — all sorts of good things.

“In the mornings, I’ll usually make a protein shake with some good fats or fruits, or maybe some avocado toast. Then there are the snacks, hummus, all that good stuff.

“So many diets are unsustainable. And so people fall off the wagon because it’s all so hard.”

Paige’s breakfast shake

“I love to fill my shakes with good nutrients, so I use plant-based protein, then I’ll do almond milk, and some fruit,” she says.

“My go-to is pineapple, but you can do any kind of fruit that you want.

“And then add some almond butter. But the most important thing is that you freeze it, stick it in a bag, and then pop it in a blender the next morning.

“It’s perfect for when you’re in a rush.”

Adam MacDougall is the creator of The Man Shake. A new healthy, weight loss shake that is low in sugar, full of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals that you can have on the run and leaves you feeling full.